Alan Ladd

A stoic, masculine icon despite his diminutive frame, Alan Ladd became an overnight star by playing Raven, a sensitive hit man, in "This Gun for Hire" (1942). His soft-spoken strength set him apart fr...
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The wife of Hollywood executive Alan Ladd, Jr. has become the latest woman to accuse Bill Cosby of sexual assault. In an essay penned for the Huffington Post blog, Cindra Ladd claims the embattled comic assaulted her in New York in 1969, when she was 21.
She writes, "In 1969, I met Bill Cosby while working in New York for the late film producer Ray Stark. I was a 21-year-old single woman in the world's most exciting city. He was a 32-year-old internationally known comedian and television star, one of the most likeable and popular entertainers in the business. He asked for my number and I gave it to him.
"We began hanging out, took in a movie, watched television and ate pizza and hot dogs in my apartment with my roommate. He was married to his current wife and he acted like a perfect gentleman who didn't come on to either of us, which, I have to admit, made me wonder what his objective was."
But then, one night, Cosby allegedly offered her a "miracle cure" for a headache, and despite her initial suspicion, Ladd took the capsule and blacked out.
She claims she woke up the following morning "nude in the bed of his friend's apartment" with very little memory of the night before.
She adds, "What I do recall, vividly and clearly, is waking up the next morning nude in the bed of his friend's apartment and seeing Cosby wearing a white terrycloth bathrobe and acting as if there was nothing unusual. It was obvious to me that he had had sex with me. I was horrified, embarrassed and ashamed. There was a mirror above the bed, which shocked me further.
"After some awkward small talk, I got out of there as fast as I could. Once in the elevator, I broke down crying, which I continued to do as I walked home to my apartment... It never occurred to me to go to the police. It was a different time and 'date rape' was a concept that didn't exist. I just kept asking myself over and over in disbelief why this had happened to me. Other than my roommate, I did not discuss that night with anyone for 36 years."
In her Huffington Post essay, Ladd explains she decided to come forward with her story because it seemed like "the right thing to do" in light of the allegations of abuse, rape and inappropriate behaviour levelled at Cosby from 30-plus women in the past four months.
Cosby has yet to directly address the accusations but his legal team has dismissed them. Cosby has never been charged with any crimes linked to the allegations against him.

Veteran actresses Mia Farrow, Carol Burnett and Anjelica Huston are set to hit the Broadway stage in a revival of A.r. Gurney's romantic play Love Letters. Farrow will make her first appearance on the Great White Way in nine years in September (14), when she will feature opposite Brian Dennehy in the two-person show, about letters exchanged over the years between two childhood friends.
She will depart on 10 October (14) to make way for Burnett, who will co-star with Dennehy until 7 November (14).
The changing monthly line-up will continue with M*A*S*H star Alan Alda and Murphy Brown's Candice Bergen, before Stacy Keach and Diana Rigg take over in early December (14).
The production will close on 1 February (14) with Martin Sheen and Huston playing respective characters Andrew Makepeace Ladd III and Melissa Gardner.
Gregory Mosher will direct the Pulitzer Prize-nominated play at the Nederlander Theatre.
Love Letters originally debuted on Broadway in 1989 with Colleen Dewhurst and Jason Robards.

Paramount via Everett Collection
One of the most respected authorities on the greatest films of all time is the American Film Institute's "100 Years...100 Movies" list, first presented in 1998 and revised in 2007. For those who want to view some of the films considered the greatest ever, Netflix has you covered, providing viewers with 13 titles on the list through their streaming service. Take a look at what's available.
The General (1926)
Buster Keaton's silent comedy epic based on the true story of a train conductor during the Civil War may not appeal to most modern audiences (and it didn't to critics upon its release either) but it is now considered one of the greatest films of all time.
High Noon (1952)
The classic Western stars Gary Cooper as a retired sheriff who steps up to protect a frontier town from a notorious outlaw and Grace Kelly as his Quaker wife who wants him to stay out of it.
Double Indemnity (1944)
Considered one of the greatest examples of film noir, Double Indemnity tells the story of an insurance investigator (Fred MacMurray) who gets roped into a murderous insurance scheme by a conniving woman (Barbara Stanwyck).
Shane (1953)
Another quintessential Western, it stars Alan Ladd as wandering gunslinger Shane who ends up in the middle of a deadly Wyoming land dispute.
Intolerance (1916)
The oldest film on the list, D.W. Griffith's silent epic tells four parallel stories relating to morality through history.
Duck Soup (1933)
The classic Marx Brothers' comedy tells the story of Rufus. T. Firefly's (Groucho) appointment to leadership of the fictional, bankrupt country Freedonia which is on the brink of war.
The African Queen (1951)
Humphrey Bogart won his only Oscar as a Canadian riverboat captain traveling with uptight missionary Katharine Hepburn down an African river to blow a hole in a German blockade during the onset of WWII.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Paul Newman and Robert Redford cemented their place in cinema history with their portrayal of the legendary outlaws.
Forrest Gump (1994)
You can re-watch the smash hit starring Tom Hanks as the Alabama man with an IQ of 75 for the 100th time.
Titanic (1997)
Yup, the disaster epic that might be more popular to hate than like made the list. It's not as bad as people say. I'm sure millions of women who were teenagers in the late '90s would agree.
Platoon (1986)
Oliver Stone's tale of a young soldier in the Vietnam War has gained acclaim as one of the greatest war films of all time.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
This Tarantino instant classic telling several sordid, interconnected tales revolving around a surreal L.A. criminal underworld is one of the most widely-loved films of recent decades.
Do the Right Thing (1989)
Spike Lee became an icon with his tale of racial tension erupting in Brooklyn.
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Random House
A little bit of the curtain has been peeled back on those mysterious 19 years between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope in John Jackson Miller's new novel Star Wars: Kenobi. It's a story that Miller has been working on for seven years, and it concerns what happened after Obi-Wan lost everything: the Jedi Order, the Republic, his old love Satine, and his former Padawan turned Sith, Anakin Skywalker. Kenobi sees the exiled Jedi arrive on Tatooine where he'll begin the long project of looking out for young Luke Skywalker from afar...until someday the time is right for him to reemerge. Of course, trouble always seems to follow Obi-Wan, and he gets into quite an adventure as he's getting used to life on the desert planet. We talked to Miller and also voice actor James Arnold Taylor, who's spent eight years voicing Obi-Wan for The Clone Wars TV series and various videogames, about the project.
Hollywood.com: John, for some years you’ve talked about doing a Star Wars Western. How did that become Kenobi? John Jackson Miller: Well, I’d been writing Knights of the Old Republic for Dark Horse a couple of years and I was discussing with my editor the possibility of doing an original graphic novel starring Obi-Wan Kenobi. We were both big fans of Westerns, especially Shane, the Alan Ladd film from the ‘50s, and it struck me that the early days of Obi-Wan’s stay on Tatooine had to have been a lot like that. He was like the retired gunfighter wandering into town, trying to start over, begin a new life, keep his head down, and not get into trouble…and of course everything is pulling him into action. It’s a small town, so everybody is wondering who he is, why he’s come all this way — nobody moves to Tatooine unless they have to. It’s not a great tourist destination.
So we have that going on and the fact that at the same time, we know all these things that Obi-Wan is dealing with from the events of the Clone Wars series and Revenge of the Sith: Anakin’s fall, the death of the Duchess, all of these various things that have piled up on him. Instead of being at the center of galactic events where he could impact things he’s going to have to spend the next how many years — and he doesn’t know how long, it could be six months or the rest of his life — staying out of sight on Tatooine, and basically protecting the next generation.
That’s a really rough prospect for somebody who was used to action. The story we’ve told here is purposefully told from the point of view of other characters, the natives of Tatooine, a couple human settlers, and a few Tusken raiders. We can see Obi-Wan through their eyes, as he tries to react to situations as an ordinary man would, not a Jedi. The reader is in this unique situation, because we know that Clark Kent is really Superman here, we know what Obi-Wan is capable of, and so we’re able to travel with him through the storyline as he tries to make his way through the situation and find some peace.
HW: James, at the start of the novel what would you say is Obi-Wan’s mindset? James Arnold Taylor: One of the things that’s been so great for me in playing this mythical character for so many years is that throughout the series of The Clone Wars I had to put myself in the mindset of “He does not know what’s going to happen.” He does not know that Anakin’s going to fall, and in Kenobi he actually thinks that Anakin is dead. His belief is that Anakin’s gone, and he did what he had to do. Even though I haven’t voiced him much after the events of Revenge of the Sith, it goes so much deeper than I think most people think.
Kenobi speaks as Obi-Wan speaks. That was always the biggest challenge of our show: getting the way Obi-Wan speaks right. And that comes across so well here in his meditations when he’s desperately trying to reach his mentor and his father figure Qui-Gon. There’s so much turmoil in his life and he has to hold it in, but those turmoils manifest in so many ways, including just his struggle to set up shop, get his home in place.
Lucasfilm
HW: John, some have suggested that Star Wars in general, at least A New Hope, is a kind of Western. You’ve mentioned Shane. Were there any other Westerns in particular you drew upon for inspiration? JJM: I was inspired quite a bit by Larry McMurtry who wrote Lonesome Dove. I think what’s special about that is that it gives us the Texas Rangers, yes, but we also get the point of view of the villagers surrounding them. We get to see what their ordinary lives are like and how their lives change when these almost mythical heroes pass through. Kenobi is also a stranger in a small town story. He’s having to learn the ropes of this place and integrate, when he’d much rather get out there and start freeing the Republic or crawl into a rock and never think of anything again. Instead he chooses to use this time to learn how he got there. He sees his exile as penance. Even at the end of the novel his prison term is still just beginning so to speak.
I love The Shawshank Redemption and when I realized that Obi-Wan ended up staying on Tatooine for exactly the same amount of time that Andy Dufresne was in prison — 19 years — I thought, okay, this is how much learning you can do in that time. This is a very different kind of Star Wars book: there are no lightsaber duels, because there are only two lightsabers on the planet, and Obi-Wan keeps one of them in his trunk. There are no space battles. It’s an internal story. Think about how Casablanca is a war movie that involves no war. It’s about the problems of three little people, but it’s about something much bigger at the same time. And I think Obi-Wan’s internal struggle mirrors the external struggle in the galaxy at this time.
HW: Did you guys collaborate at all on the making of this book? JAT: Oh no, I would never dare do that. I’m just a fan like anybody else. I knew John was working on this because people were talking about it within my circle. I do see Obi-Wan as a hero, but he is paying a penance. He feels responsible for what happened and to a degree he is. Dave Filoni used to always joke to me and say, “It’s all Obi-Wan’s fault.” But Obi-Wan is a true believer, he’s trying to find the greater good in himself and in other people. And I think that’s what makes a great hero.
HW: How did you go about incorporating elements of the Clone Wars show into the novel? JJM: When we get to him thinking about Satine, it’s when he’s pondering the various brushes with romance he’s had in his life. And when I started this project I went and just read everything that had been written about the character’s life at that point between Episodes III and IV. But I didn’t just want to do name drops, nor did I ever want to stop the story just to supply backstory, so the meditations with Qui-Gon helped with that. We have him thinking about his old love interest Siri Tachi from the Scholastic kids novels back in the day. Everything in the Expanded Universe counts, so I wanted to make sure some of those key characters received acknowledgement.
Lucasfilm
HW: You threw in a lot of new elements to expand Tatooine, a planet we all thought we knew pretty well. How did you go about introducing us to Tatooine all over again? JJM: I actually took a lot of stuff that was old. A lot of what we drew upon actually came from a series of roleplaying games released in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s by a company called West End. Before the Expanded Universe cranked into gear West End was the only game in town, so they had leeway to establish a lot of things, and I drew a number of characters, settings, and concepts from them.
However, there had never been a storyline where there was a Tusken point-of-view, and I wanted to create a mythology for them that explained why they were so attached to living in such miserable conditions and justify some of the horrible things they do. I hope I didn’t make them a fully sympathetic group here, because that wasn’t my intent. I didn’t want this to be Dances With Tuskens. I didn’t want them to appear justified in their actions, and in fact Obi-Wan has a line to this regard, “We can appreciate the differences between cultures without having to become lunch for the Sarlacc just because the Sarlacc needs to eat people.” The fact that the Tuskens do have this different worldview doesn’t necessarily make it right. This is where we could bring in the movies again, because the events of Star Wars Episode II, where Anakin wiped out an entire band of Tuskens overnight, are weighing very heavy on the group of Tuskens we meet in the story. They have lost their spirit, their confidence, and them getting that back is part of their storyline in the book.
HW: James, now that you’ve played Obi-Wan for so many years, what have you learned about him? JAT: More than anything, that Obi-Wan has a deeper emotional life than you ever really see on the surface. Seeing how he goes from being a surrogate father to a brother for Anakin meant a lot to me in the prequels, especially since we know next to nothing about Obi-Wan’s own backstory, his family or where he came from himself. And that was always good for me. On a personal note, I don’t know my father, I never knew my father so I’m always fascinated how throughout the years the characters I’ve portrayed have very conveniently had the same issue. What backstory there was in the Expanded Universe I tried to avoid because Dave Filoni and George Lucas had such a clear vision of how they wanted Obi-Wan to be on the show that I just wanted to keep that pure. Now that the show’s over, Kenobi was a fantastic first Expanded Universe novel to read. It conveyed so much of what I’ve felt about the character, that he’s just a character who wants to do right, he wants to do good. He’s a striver, and that’s something many of us can relate to. What’s also wonderful is how much more depth now, because of the prequels, The Clone Wars, and Kenobi, there now is to that moment in A New Hope when Luke tells him that R2 says he’s “the property of Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and Obi-Wan gets that look in his eyes like, “This is it. My moment has come. I might actually get off this planet!”
HW: John, would you consider a follow-up to Kenobi showing Obi-Wan's further adventures on Tatooine? JJM: I would. Initially, I intended for this entirely to be a standalone story, because seven years ago when I started this we didn’t even know if we’d be allowed to explore the period after Revenge of the Sith. But I’d like to check in on some of the characters featured in Kenobi later on, not to mention that there are some big moments in Obi-Wan’s life forthcoming. At the point of this novel he doesn’t know that Anakin has survived and become Darth Vader yet. He finds that out in the epilogue to James Luceno’s Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader, but there has to be more to that story. Also, things having to do with the discovery of what Anakin did to the Sand People. What I don’t want to see is a lot of people coming to visit Obi-Wan, or various threats coming to the planet. Tatooine becomes Gilligan’s Island at that point. And I can’t imagine he would leave the planet for anything but the most dire emergency. I think that protecting Luke Skywalker is his ultimate mission. To realize that he’s done all that he can do and only the next generation might have a shot at defeating the Emperor and correcting his mistakes for him is not an easy thing to deal with, especially if, like Obi-Wan, you’ve been at the center of events your whole life.
HW: When you think about it, Obi-Wan makes an astonishing number of mistakes throughout his life. Ultimately, do you see his life as a success story? JAT: I think it’s a very human life in a world in a time when the expectation is to not be. What we’re drawn to in stories is the humanity of them, about people who are fallible, who are capable of making mistakes and then learning from those mistakes. And that’s why I’ve always liked Obi-Wan. That’s what makes him a hero to me. He’s a hero who in the end does the right thing and is troubled by what he’s done before that wasn’t the right thing.
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A kids’ movie without the cheeky jokes for adults is like a big juicy BLT without the B… or the T. Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted may have a title that sounds like it was made up in a cartoon sequel laboratory but when it comes to serving up laughs just think of the film as a BLT with enough extra bacon to satisfy even the wildest of animals — or even a parent with a gaggle of tots in tow. Yes even with that whole "Afro Circus" nonsense.
It’s not often that we find exhaustively franchised films like the Madagascar set that still work after almost seven years. Despite being spun off into TV shows and Christmas specials in addition to its big screen adventures the series has not only maintained its momentum it has maintained the part we were pleasantly surprised by the first time around: great jokes.
In this third installment of the series – the trilogy-maker if you will – directing duo Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath add Conrad Vernon (director Monsters Vs. Aliens) to the helm as our trusty gang swings back into action. Alex the lion (Ben Stiller) Marty the zebra (Chris Rock) Gloria the hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Melman the giraffe (David Schwimmer) are stuck in Africa after the hullaballoo of Madagascar 2 and they’ll do anything to get back to their beloved New York. Just a hop skip and a jump away in Monte Carlo the penguins are doing their usual greedy schtick but the zoo animals catch up with them just in time to catch the eye of the sinister animal control stickler Captain Dubois (Frances McDormand). And just like that the practically super human captain is chasing them through Monte Carlo and the rest of Europe in hopes of planting Alex’s perfectly coifed lion head on her wall of prized animals.
Luckily for pint-sized viewers Dubois’ terrifying presence is balanced out by her sheer inhuman strength uncanny guiles and Stretch Armstrong flexibility (ah the wonder of cartoons) as well as Alex’s escape plan: the New Yorkers run away with the European circus. While Dubois’ terrifying Doberman-like presence looms over the entire film a sense of levity (which is a word the kiddies might learn from Stiller’s eloquent lion) comes from the plan for salvation in which the circus animals and the zoo animals band together to revamp the circus and catch the eye of a big-time American agent. Sure the pacing throughout the first act is practically nonexistent running like a stampede through the jungle but by the time we're palling around under the big top the film finds its footing.
The visual splendor of the film (and man is there a champion size serving of it) the magnificent danger and suspense is enhanced to great effect by the addition of 3D technology – and not once is there a gratuitous beverage or desperate Crocodile Dundee knife waved in our faces to prove its worth. The caveat is that the soundtrack employs a certain infectious Katy Perry ditty at the height of the 3D spectacular so parents get ready to hear that on repeat until the leaves turn yellow.
But visual delights and adventurous zoo animals aside Madagascar 3’s real strength is in its script. With the addition of Noah Baumbach (Greenberg The Squid and the Whale) to the screenwriting team the script is infused with a heightened level of almost sarcastic gravitas – a welcome addition to the characteristically adult-friendly reference-heavy humor of the other Madagascar films. To bring the script to life Paramount enlisted three more than able actors: Vitaly the Siberian tiger (Bryan Cranston) Gia the Leopard (Jessica Chastain) and Stefano the Italian Sealion (Martin Short). With all three actors draped in European accents it might take viewers a minute to realize that the cantankerous tiger is one and the same as the man who plays an Albuquerque drug lord on Breaking Bad but that makes it that much sweeter to hear him utter slant-curse words like “Bolshevik” with his usual gusto.
Between the laughs the terror of McDormand’s Captain Dubois and the breathtaking virtual European tour the Zoosters’ accidental vacation is one worth taking. Madagascar 3 is by no means an insta-classic but it’s a perfectly suited for your Summer-at-the-movies oasis.

She died at Barlow Respiratory Hospital on Saturday (28Apr12), according to the Associated Press.
The British-born beauty began her acting career in England in the late 1930s and moved to Hollywood after marrying The Adventures of Robin Hood TV star Richard Greene.
Medina became a big star following leading roles opposite Fernando Lamas in Sangaree, Glenn Ford in Plunder of the Sun and Alan Ladd in Botany Bay.
Her additional film credits include Mr. Arkadin, Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion, Phantom of the Rue Morgue, Fortunes of Captain Blood, Lady in the Iron Mask, and The Lady and the Bandit.
In 1960, the actress married Citizen Kane star Joseph Cotten and two years later she made her Broadway debut opposite her new husband in Calculated Risk.

The former Charlie's Angles star has a daughter, Jordan, with ex-husband actor Alan Ladd, and she is stepmum to her current husband, producer Brian Russell's daughter, Lindsay.
But Ladd, 58, insists she would expand her family many more times - if age wasn't a factor.
She says, "I love kids. I wanted more. I have two but I would've had six or seven... I would have done that if I could."

Wigan was credited with steering the success of the first Star Wars in 1977, after serving as a production executive on the sci-fi movie.
He subsequently worked on other films including All That Jazz in 1979 and Alien in the same year, before he was appointed co-vice chairman of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group in the 1990s.
And his death in Los Angeles after a brief illness has shocked Star Wars creator Lucas, who will "always be grateful" for Wigan's support.
Lucas says, “Gareth Wigan was one of the most kind and thoughtful executives I’ve ever worked with. He was a real supporter of creative talent. I’ll never forget the first time he saw Star Wars. It was just Gareth and Alan Ladd Jr. seeing an early cut of the film. Gareth was so moved that he cried. As a young filmmaker facing a lot of skeptics, his genuine love of the film meant the world to me. He was there for me when I needed him and I’ll always be grateful.”
And Scorsese, who worked with Wigan on 1993 movie The Age Of Innocence, also has fond memories of the producer.
He adds, “I’ve often wished we could have worked on another production as I’ve always had great admiration for Gareth’s intelligence, diplomacy and taste.”
Wigan is survived by his wife, Pat Newcomb, four children and seven grandchildren.

An Australian to handle the quintessential great American novel? Hmmm …
Nikke Finke at Deadline Hollywood Daily is reporting "exclusive" inside information that Baz Luhrmann will make The Great Gatsby for 20th Century Fox as his next project. Finke says the Aussie director is looking for cast members now, Cinematical.com reports.
Luhrmann will have his work cut out for him. First, it might be tough for him to capture that true American, roaring ‘20s spirit. His slick Moulin Rouge tricks won’t work here.
Second, a couple of Gatsby big-screen adaptations have already been attempted -- the 1949 Alan Ladd/Betty Field version and the 1974 Robert Redford/Mia Farrow version -- and neither one were well regarded (although Redford as Gatsby was a good choice).
Lastly, Luhrmann’s sappy, over-budgeted Australia is still trying desperately to make back its money. And that was a movie he did in his OWN country.
Oh well, maybe third time will indeed be a charm.
MORE NEWS: Original Trekker Nurse Chapel Dies

Top Story: Grace Under Fire Creator Sues Show
Grace Under Fire creator Chuck Lorre sued production company Carsey-Werner-Mandabach Tuesday, claiming he was underpaid for his work on the ABC sitcom. The comedy, which focused on the "trailer trash" life of former standup comedian Brett Butler, aired from 1993 to 1998. According to the Los Angeles Superior Court suit, Lorre, who served as executive producer for the first season, lost millions of dollars because of payments made to cast and crew members who were sexually harassed and verbally abused by Butler. Although the lawsuit did not offer details of the alleged harassment and abuse but claims Lorre claims Carsey-Werner settled them by paying "substantial" settlements to those who complained. Butler's manager, Mark Burg, disputed the allegations against the actress and said she is still friends with people who worked on the show, Reuters reports.
Jack Osbourne Doing Well in Rehab
In an interview with US Weekly magazine, Kelly Osbourne said her brother Jack is in "good spirits" after admitting himself into a drug and alcohol rehabilitation clinic last week. Kelly said she and her family had had no idea how serious her 17-year-old brother's problems were before he checked into the clinic on April 23. "He's doing very well and we're all very proud of him," she told the magazine. "He's in really good spirits."
Tom Arnold Sued for Sexual Harassment
Tom Arnold, former NBA player John Salley, and others involved with Fox Sports Network's Best Damn Sports Show Period are being sued for sexual harassment by a show hairstylist, the AP reports. Lisa Brescher's lawsuit alleged that Arnold and Salley made unwelcome sexual advances towards her. Brescher, 29, claims Arnold took her off her "lucrative Sunday shift" when she filed a sexual harassment complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
T2 Goes High Definition
Artisan Entertainment and Microsoft Corp. unveiled Monday T2: Extreme DVD--the first DVD to be released especially for digital high-definition computer and television monitors. Reuters reports the two-disc DVD contains a standard DVD of Terminator 2: Judgment Day and a second that contains a high-definition version of the film to be played on a computer DVD-ROM drive and high-end monitors. The two-disc set hits stores on June 3.
Treasure Planet Finds Riches on Home Video
The home video debut of Disney's animated feature Treasure Planet sold more than 1 million VHS and DVD units on its first day in release. One major retailer who asked not to be identified told The Hollywood Reporter he believes Treasure Planet is likely to exceed its nearly $40 million domestic box office gross within the first week of release. The film, which cost a reported $140 to make, was a high-profile bust last year in theaters.
Madonna's America Life No. 1
Madonna's new album, American Life, opened at No. 1 on this week's Billboard charts. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the album sold 241,000 units its first week in stores--a respectable amount but still far below the 420,000 units her last release, Music, sold three years ago. Rapper 50 Cent came in at No. 2 with Get Rich or Die Tryin', followed by Kelly Clarkson, who slipped to No. 3 with her debut album, Thankful.
Berry Makes "Beautiful People" List
X2: X-Men United star Halle Berry made People magazine's annual list of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World"-- for the seventh time. Also appearing in this year's issue are celebs Julia Roberts, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Ryan Seacrest, singers Norah Jones and Usher, and basketball player Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs. The issue hits newsstands Friday.
Role Call: Ben and Jen May Play Boston Sleuths, Turturro Joins Latest King Adaptation
Alan Ladd, who is currently producing An Unfinished Life starring Jennifer Lopez, told Variety the singer/actress may co-star with Ben Affleck in his next project, Gone, Baby, Gone for Paramount. Affleck is writing the script for the pic, in which he will also star and possibly direct. The pic revolves around two Boston private eyes who investigate a series of mysteries. Ladd said J.Lo would play Affleck's partner ... John Turturro is set to star opposite Johnny Depp in Columbia Pictures' Secret Window, Secret Garden for writer/director David Koepp. The pic is a thriller based on a Stephen King novella about a psychotic stranger stalking a writer he claims stole his story but changed the ending. Maria Bello, Timothy Hutton and Ving Rhames are in negotiations to join the cast.

Achieved star status in "This Gun for Hire"; first teaming with Veronica Lake

Made film debut in a bit part, "Once in a Lifetime"

Last film, "The Carpetbaggers"

Last of four co-starring vehicles opposite Veronica Lake, "Saigon"

Moved with family to North Hollywood at age seven

Summary

A stoic, masculine icon despite his diminutive frame, Alan Ladd became an overnight star by playing Raven, a sensitive hit man, in "This Gun for Hire" (1942). His soft-spoken strength set him apart from his less subtle peers, instantly endearing him to audiences who admired his new brand of onscreen masculinity. During the 1940s, Ladd one of the era's top box office draws for many years. Frequently cast opposite Veronica Lake, he scored with the noir smashes "The Glass Key" (1942) and "The Blue Dahlia" (1946), in the adventure "Two Years before the Mast" (1946), and in the adaptation of "The Great Gatsby" (1949). His most iconic role came as the mysterious former gunslinger "Shane" (1953), considered to be one of the all-time greatest Westerns of all time. Ladd continued his streak of playing tough guys with films like "Hell below Zero" (1954) and "All the Young Men" (1960) opposite Sidney Poitier, and ended his career with a supporting turn in "The Carpetbaggers" (1964). After a lifetime of struggling with personal demons and a tumultuous childhood, the actor attempted suicide in 1962; on Jan. 29, 1964, he was found dead of an accidental drug overdose. His children, most notably film executive Alan Ladd, Jr., continued the family business. Although he rarely received the critical acclaim of many of his noir-era peers, Alan Ladd became one of the most popular movie stars of all time - a magnetic, unique performer who left a lasting mark on Hollywood in more ways than one.

Education

Name

Bard Dramatic School

North Hollywood High School

Notes

"Once Ladd had acquired an unsmiling hardness, he was transformed from an extra to a phenomenon. Ladd's calm slender ferocity make it clear that he was the first American actor to show the killer as a cold angel." --David Thomson ("A Biographical Dictionary of Film," 1975)

"That the old fashioned motion picture gangster with his ugly face, gaudy cars and flashy clothes was replaced by a smoother, better looking and better dressed bad man was largely the work of Mr. Ladd." --From The New York Times obituary (January 30, 1964)